“We have a great relationship,” Bale told the Evening Standard regarding Andre Villas-Boas – 19/07/13

Supporters are right to fear the sale of their star player.

The departure of a player the team previously relied on entails the loss not only of the unique talents brought to the side, but also a lengthy period of adjustment and a likely loss of form.

It could herald a loss of commercial opportunities along with the ability to attract other talented players, in a much wider loss of momentum.

A sale in circumstances where the club is perceived to lack control over the situation reveals the club’s comparative weakness, financial or otherwise, and further obstacles to the club’s progress.

But that’s not the situation Tottenham find themselves in with Gareth Bale, their double Player of the Year Award-winning superstar.

The Wales international scored 21 of their 66 Premier League goals last season, including five winning goals from six matches in a run of form that almost single-handedly kept them in the running for both the Champions League places and the Europa League.

However, he is contracted until June 2016, and therefore cannot yet blackmail the club with the threat of leaving the club for nothing. There won’t be a repeat of Sol Campbell’s move to Arsenal.

If used wisely, that time could allow the club to ascend to the ranks of Champions League clubs and attract the sort of players with the ability to replace his contribution.

He also enjoys a good relationship with manager Andre Villas-Boas, who moulded him from versatile left winger into to a central or right-sided attacker with heightened influence and the means to prove his goalscoring prowess to the world.

With the 24-year-old’s expected future improvement and marketability adding to the commercial package he brings to his club, the suggested pricetags touted for a timely sale orchestrated by the shrewd chairman Daniel Levy lie in excess of £50 million.

If the move occurs early in a transfer-window, that money would allow AVB to replicate his contribution by using the close season to train up a less pricy acquisition with similar or related talents, such as left-footed speedsters Angel Di Maria, Arjen Robben, or Hulk.

Not quite the same mixture of physical power (from the former two) or the same (slightly impetuous) commitment to defending (from the latter two), but a fearsome threat coming off the right flank from each.

And the rebound from the loss of playmaker Luka Modric was swift as the quite different Moussa Dembele replaced the Croatia international’s penetrating range of passing with his own penetrating range of powerful dribbles through the heart of midfield.

In the absence of any positive consequences, even the negatives could be mitigated.

And such positive consequences could include the financing of the marquee striker White Hart Lane seems to be lacking, if one hasn’t been found already.

Just as Juventus were bested in Serie A for 3 consecutive seaspms before a run of 4 from 5 on-pitch titles followed the sale of Zinedine Zidane – and concurrent acquisitions of Gianluigi Buffon, Lilian Thuram and Pavel Nedved – Tottenham could replace their star, improve their core, and head to the top.

Selling Gareth Bale for an inflated fee might not be so bad.